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0 pointssangnoir3y ago0 comments

> The whole point of market economies is to let people vote with their resources.

How do negative externalities and imperfect information figure into that? Sure, I'd love to buy Monsanto's awesome defoliant because it's cheaper than BASF's equivalent, but I may also get cancer from it in 5 years, or I may be killing pollinating insects for many miles downwind and downstream.

Do you suppose market forces could have gotten rid of lead in paint or gasoline if regulations hadn't?

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5 comments · 3 top-level

hellojesus3y ago· 2 in thread

Regulation is a useful tool when there is quantifiable harm to an involuntary third party. That is not the case here. People have an infinite amount of electronic communication tools and services from which to choose. These are all voluntary without negative externalities causing harm on individuals outside the conversation (or outside the site when relating to the cookie policy).

feanaro3y ago

> People have an infinite amount of electronic communication tools and services from which to choose.

Due to network effects of communication tools, this is not really true.

hellojesus3y ago

Network effects can be overcome locally, by talking with your contacts and getting them to move to a new app/communication mechanism. It takes time, but compelling arguments will win in the end.

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rootusrootus3y ago

> Do you suppose market forces could have gotten rid of lead in paint or gasoline if regulations hadn't?

Yes. Consider how cars have become incredibly safe over the years. Is this because the government writes good regulations? No. It is because IIHS (and the government, as well) do crash tests and publish the results. Consumers gravitate towards cars that have top safety ratings.

Ironically, the government is why leaded gasoline still exists at all.

bratwurst30003y ago

Hehe some would say bad products wouldnt be sold for long but the truth is that most bad products are not gone because the market dictated it but because of regulations ;)

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